Darkwood

Darkwood is a survival horror game set in a ruined land where you explore by day and shelter from the hostile woods at night. You scavenge for resources, build defenses and try to escape, though how you came to the land remains a mystery. As you travel between hideouts, you gather the resources, allies and information you need to survive.

The woods and its story

Explore multiple dense biomes, from festering catacombs to fetid swamps. Landmarks, quests and encounters are hand-crafted, but the woods and points of interest rearrange with each new game, changing your route and creating new opportunities on each playthrough.

The locals offer dark quests and rewards, while the forest’s inhabitants often have conflicting interests. Your choices change the story as you uncover the mysteries of Darkwood and decide how to deal with the remaining pockets of humanity. The game provides no quest markers or hand-holding, so you must learn and experiment; other characters and groups may have goals that conflict with yours.

Darkwood builds its horror through atmosphere and discoveries rather than jumpscares. Some threats are clear, while others take careful attention to the world and conversations with its inhabitants to understand. Disturbing nighttime vignettes can conceal clues to investigate after dawn, as the boundary between dreams and reality begins to blur.

Prepare to survive

Roam the wide world, decide when to move on or fortify a hideout, and weigh the risks of escape against the safety of staying. Gather mushrooms, meat and other things found in the woods, then refine them at your hideout. You can unlock mutations such as becoming invisible while standing still or regenerating by devouring wood, though these powers also bring vulnerabilities.

Find and craft weapons, from planks to assault rifles, and trade with residents who are willing to do so. Your hideout lets you upgrade and enhance weapons, make items such as molotov cocktails, and set defenses including chain and bear traps or exploding oil drums. Adjustable difficulty settings let you play the story with unlimited lives or choose permadeath on Nightmare difficulty. Planning, patience and careful observation remain important whatever the setting.

Defend your hideout

At sunset, you must find shelter in one of the hideouts scattered through the woods. These makeshift bases are damaged, so gather resources to repair them and barricade doors and windows before night falls. Keep fuel supplied and the generator running to power the remaining electrical fixtures; light can protect you from creatures that conventional weapons cannot defeat.

No two nights are alike. Creatures may attack your base, bizarre rituals may take place, or other unsettling events may leave mysteries to pursue in the morning.